Tie-down and wall ventilator



April 5, 1960 H. s. ROSE 2,931,215

TIE-DOWN AND WALL VENTILATOR Filed Aug. ze, 1957 l l i r/z MQ Fie.

FNB-4 INVENTQR.

HERBERT 5. Robe,

BY @my @JL A TTORNEY This invention relates to a combined structural tiedown and wall Ventilating device and has particular reference to a tie-down device of tubular form to be embedded within the conventional concrete lintel for anchoring engagement with a wood sill plate and with the device being extended below the lintel to project into the voids of the well known concrete block wall and whereby to provide an air passage from the Wall to an overlying roof area.

The invention is adapted primarily for use with lintel forming blocks of the character that are disposed upon the upper edge of a block wall to constitute a trough into which the lintel is poured and with the device projecting above the upper surface of the lintel a distance to pass entirely through the conventional wood sill that overlies the lintel and with the device at its upper end being slotted whereby to form bendable tongues that are subsequently bent downwardly and nailed or screwed into the upper surface of the wood sill as a means to securely anchor the sill with respect to the lintel.

The Ventilating of conventional concrete block walls is essential to avoid dampness within the building and a device of this invention arranged in suitable spaced apart relation around the lintel and communicating with the interior of the block wall provides a very satisfactory means of Ventilating the wall and at the same time forms a definite anchor for the wood sill.

The invention further contemplates the use of an anchor strap xedly connected with the device to be embedded within the concrete of the lintel and with the device being further provided with a removable pin that serves to function as a gauge for positioning the device within the lintel so that its upper end is accurately held for engagement through a preformed aperture of the sill so that its terminal slotted end projects above the sill where it may be bent over and upon the sill for subsequent nailing.

Novel features of construction and operation of the device will be more clearly apparent during the course of the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing wherein has been illustrated a preferred form of the device and wherein like characters of reference are employed to denote like parts throughout the several figures.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a Ventilating tie-down device constructed in accordance with the invention,

Figure 2 is a fragmentary transverse section taken through the upper portion of a masonry wall construction andshowing the initial installation of the device,

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 but illustrating the formed lintel and the installed wood sill plate,

Figure 4 is a longitudinal section taken substantially on line 4--4 of Figure 3 and,

Figure 5 is a top plan view of a completed wall structure illustrating the nal anchoring engagement with the wood sill.

Referring specically lto the drawings, the numeral 5 'ttes Patent O i Patented Apr. 5, 1960 i ce designates an elongated tubular section of pipe or the like that is open at its opposite ends. Intermediate the height of the tube, there has been provided a winged anchor plate 6 that is welded or otherwise permanently connected with the member 5. The member 5 at its upper end is slotted downwardly at equidistant depths as at '7 to form a plurality of bendable tongues 8. As illustrated, the tongues are preferably four in number and of equal size. Each of the tongues 8 are apertured adjacent their upper ends, as at 9, forming nail holes whereby the device is attached to the structure to be anchored. At a predetermined point below the slots 7, the tube 5 has been apertured at a diametrically opposite points as at 10, for the passage of a removable pin 11.

As shown in Figures 2, 3 and 4, the wall comprises a plurality of well known hollow concrete blocks 12. Disposed upon the uppermost course of blocks, are plurality of U-shaped channel forming blocks 13, that extend entirely around the wall and whereby to form a trough into which is poured a concrete mix to form a lintel 14. Each of the blocks 13 are normally in end to end abutting relation and with their upper sides open. Such a construction is old and well known in masonry wall construction where a lintel is required. However it is also possible and well known to form the lintel by the use of form boards that are connected upon opposite sides of the wall to project above theiwall a distance corresponding to the height of the lintel and whereby to form the trough into which the lintel is poured.

Operation In the use of the device, assuming that the U-shape blocks are employed as the channel for the concrete, it is then `determined as to the spacing of the anchor devices illustrated particularly in Figure 1. blocks are in end to end abutting relation, it becomes necessary to break away or notch the bottom wall of adjacent blocks at the points where the anchor device is to be installed. The anchor devices are then inserted through the channel to project downwardly through the notches of the blocks and to terminate into the void of a concrete block adjacent to the opening. The device 5 is shifted downwardly until the pin 11 rests upon the upper marginal edges of the blocks 13, in which position the device is accurately disposed with respect to both its upper and lower ends. The breaking away of the lower or bottoms of the blocks for the passage of the tube 5 may obviously be rough and conceivably may require mortar to seal the opening. Concrete is then poured into the channel of the blocks 13 to the top thereof and as the concrete is poured, the tubes 5 f are manually shifted to dispose them in central relation to the longitudinal axis of the lintel. After the concrete has sufficiently set, the pins 11 are driven out, leaving the flat upper surface for the reception of the conventional 2 x 6 wood sill 15. Prior to the installation of the sill 1S, the sill is bored at 16 at spaced apart points corresponding to the spacing of the anchors 5 and of a diameter capable of freely engaging over the upper ends of the tubes 5. The sills are then installed and rest upon the top of the lintel and the top edges of the blocks 13, with the upper slotted end of the tube 5 projecting above the upper surface of the sill. With the sill installed, the operator then proceeds to bend the several tongues 8 outwardly and downwardly, as clearly shown in Figure 5 and nails or other fastening devices are then driven through the apertures 9 into the surface of the sill. It will thus be apparent, that the tube 5 due to the anchor plates 6 is securely anchored within the lintel against twisting or against axial movement while the sill 15 is securely anchored upon the top surface of the lintel. y

It will be apparent from the foregoing that a very Since the novel form of combined anchor and Ventilating 'means has been provided.l The device is securely anchored within the lintel and projects downwardly into the voids of the concrete blocks to thereby permit of a circulation of air from the voids of the blocks upwardly through the tube 5 to pass outwardly from the upper end of the tube into the roof structure of the building. The device is exceptionally strong, is cheap to manufacture, is easily installed and securely anchors the sill plate upon the wall against movement. tured from any desirable form of metal tube, such as the conventionalv electric conduit which itself, is relatively cheap. The pins 11 after removal may be used again in other anchor devices. The device is particularly etfective, not only from its ability to anchor the sill plate but to create the air circulation through the wall to such an extent that the interior surface of the wall may be plastered directly upon the blocks without the necessity of using furring strips. Where reinforcing steel is employed in the lintel, there is adequate clearance upon opposite sides oi the anchor Ithat will not interfere with the proper positioning and support of the steel. In the Ventilating of walls, it is recognized of course that suitable vents will be installed adjacent the lowermost course of blocks. The device is particularly effective from the standpoint of maintaining the wall blocks dry and cool, serves to fasten the sill plate to the lintel with four fastening devices, rather than the single anchor bolt heretofore employed, lets moisture escape from the wall, can be used as a conduit for electrical conductors, eliminates vents in eaves and provides for a much'morc secure roof structure than'has been possible with anchor devices heretofore employed and, due to the circulation oi air through the wall, forms to produce a much cooler building.

vIt is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the precise construction shown, but that changes are contemplated as readily fall withinthe spirit of the invention as shall be determined by the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having described my invention, what. I claim 4as new land desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A combined sill plate anchoring and masonry Wall Ventilating device and wherein a concrete lintel is poured into form blocks supported upon a hollow concrete block wall, comprising a tubular anchoring device that is embedded in the concrete of the lintel to project above and below the lintel, the anchoring device being open throughout and with its lower end communicating with voids formed in the block. wall, means for supporting the anchor during the pouring of the lintel, the upper end of .the anchor extending through an aperture formed in the sill plate that overlies the lintel and to project thereabove and bendable means formed at the upper end of the The device may be manufac` anchor that are forced outwardly and downwardly to engage the upper surface of the sill and fastening devices passing through the bendable means and into the sill.

2. A combined sill anchoring and wall Ventilating device for use with a hollow concrete block wall that is capped with a poured concrete lintel, the anchoring and Ventilating device comprising an elongated tubular member open at both ends, the device adapted to be embedded in the concrete lintel for its major length and with the upper and lower ends projecting above and below forms that receive the concrete, the lower open end of the tubular member having communication with the interior of the wall, the lintel being capped by a wood sill plate that is apertured for engagement over the upper projecting end of the tubular member, the upper end of the tubular member projecting above the sill and with its upper end being longitudinally slotted to form a plurality of bendable tongues, removable means carried by the tubular member that extends laterally and whereby to -form a hanger for supporting the tubular member upon the forms during the pouring of the lintel and whereby to support the tubular member so that Vits upper end is maintained a predetermined distance above the poured lintel, the tongues being bendable outwardly and downwardly to be secured to the upper surface of the sill, the said tubular member constituting a conduit for conducting `air from the interior of the wall to Va roof area to be supported upon the sill.

3. The structure according to claim 2, wherein the slotting of the upper end of the tubular member is at equidistantly spaced points and whereby the tongues are bendable outwardly in equidistantly spaced relation, the tongues being each apertured adjacent their terminal ends for the passage of fastening devices.

4A The structure according to claim 2, wherein the tubular member is transversely apertured at a point below the tongues, the said hanger means comprising an elongated pin that extends through the aperture to project an equal distance to either side of the tubular member for resting support upon the upper edges of the lintel forms, the said tubular member intermediate its length having a triangular plate welded thereto and that is also embedded in the concrete of the lintel.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 814,154 McCahon Mar. 6, 1906 1,954,730 Erickson Apr. 10, 1934 2,007,689 Merrill July 9, 1935 2,362,119 Stefano Nov. 7, 1944 2,432,354 Temple Dec. 9, 1947 2,504,313 Fearon Apr. 18, 1950 

